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Quick Q&A: What will happen to Satan after Christ returns?

Answer: If you were motivated by rebellion and evil, and you knew that you had but a short time to live, What would you do? Perhaps do your utmost to get in as much destruction as possible, ASAP? That’s Satan’s plan!

Even though Satan now has power over the earth and its inhabitants (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2) neither he nor his demons are coequal with God. Satan and the fallen angels are ultimately subject to God’s sovereign, absolute will. While Satan and his crew have the power to tempt, they rely on man’s free will and weakness to sin. The Bible is clear that Satan and his demonic forces have already been decisively judged, signed, sealed and are soon to be delivered thanks to the ultimate sacrifice, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The book of Revelation gives us some insight as to Satan's fate. At or immediately after the return of Christ, Satan will be bound up for a thousand years. Revelation 20:1-3 (KJV), "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."

After Satan is bound up there will be a thousand years of peace. At this time of Christ’s return many who died in Christ as well as many alive will be turned to spirit beings and be part of this first resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).